Friday, March 11, 2011

Japan Nuclear plant to vent air

Air that may contain radioactive materials will be vented from a nuclear power plant in quake-stricken Fukushima Prefecture. The Tokyo Electric Power Company has decided to release air from the reactor's containment vessels, aiming to avoid their breakdown.

The company issued a warning about its Fukushima Number One Plant early on Saturday morning. It said the pressure value for the reactor's containment vessels had risen, and that if the value was correct, the vessels could break down.

Tokyo Electric says the amount of air to be released will be small and that it will notify residents near the plant before it starts releasing the air. The company says it will check the amount of radioactive materials in the air before the release.

Earlier, the government issued an evacuation advisory to people living within a